Collapsible crib



March 19, 1940. s PEARSON 2,194,320

COLLAPSIBLE CF lIB Filed Jan. 9, 1939 ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fl/d/yqy 5 @4/50/7 BY W ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 19, 1940 v v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to articles of furniture in the nature of collapsible cribs and the primary object is the provision of structure in a folding crib which will permit relatively moving the end members and side members thereof, so that when collapsed, the crib will occupy a minimum amount of space and will be condensed into a package that is convenient to handle in shipping. l

A yet further aim in this invention is to provide a collapsible crib wherein is incorporated novel structure for holding the parts ofxthe 'crib in assembled relation, which structure is adapted to maintain the side and end members of the crib in a rigid operative condition when the structure is in use, yet will permit quickly and easily folding the crib into a bundle of minimum size so that the same may be transported either for the convenience of the manufacturer in ship-. ping, or for fulfilling the requirements of the folded condition without the removal of locking elements or the like. I

Minor objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawings Wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a collapsible crib made to embody the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the crib with parts broken away. I

Fig. 3 is an end View of the crib with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of the crib when in the collapsed condition.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional 'view through the folded crib, taken on line V--V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a specially formed coupling.

Fig. '7 is a central sectional view through said coupling.

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view of the coupling.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the crib at the zone of juncture at the lower rail of "the side members and one of the legs.

Fig. '10 isa sectional view through said structure taken on line'X-X of Fig. 9; and,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line XI-XI of Fig. 1.

I n constructing a collapsible crib to embody 5 this invention, the same should be made of metal I or some material that is strong enoughto withstand the stresses exerted thereon in thespecially formed coupling which will be more fully'hereinafter set'down. v

It has been founddesir'able to use aluminumjor steel tubing, and the crib comprises a pair of end members 12. These end membersl2 are each provided with legs I 4 on the upper ends of which are disposed 'hollow'couplings l-'6,' the lower portion l8 of which is slotted and provided with a pivot pin 20 which passes {through theupper ends respectively 'of legs i l. The slots of couplings 16 are along the inwardly directed faces thereof so that legs M of end members IZ may 20 be folded to a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7. These end members i2 further comprise anupperrail 22 and a lower rail 24 joined by rods 26 in the nature of those shown in Fig. 3. i

Couplings it of one end 12 areprovidedwith inwardly directed socketed bosses 28 that receive the ends of upper rail 22, the axis of which is in alignment with pins 20. In assembling the structure, pin 20 should be positioned first so that one end thereof is covered by rail 22, as seen in Fig. '8. v

A tie-bar 30 forms a part of each end member l2 and rigidly interconnects couplings [6 thereof. Rivets '32 secure the ends of tie-bar 30 to couplings l6, and when the crib is made to embody the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, tie-bar 30 is spaced above upper rail 22 0f each end l2 respectively.

A bracket 34 mounted upon each leg l t-of end member l2 receives the end of bottom rail 24, and a rivet 36 rigidly secures this r'ail24 imposition. A perforated ear 3-8 integral with bracket34 has an offset flat-surface 4D thereon to cooperate with cap 42 carried by the adjacent end of lower rail 44 forming a part of side member '46. Eachside member is provided with an upper rail; 4'8 and theaforementioned lower rail M, thelatter being removably secured to leg 14 by bracket 34.

A stud 5D enters perforation '52 of ear 38 when the crib is assembled and-the longitudinally extended portion of cap 42 "lies in the offset part of bracket 34 and against face '40 -so-as to impart rigidity at this point. i

' The ends-of upper rail '48-of each side member 46 project into couplings l6, as illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8. Laterally extending boss 54 has a bore therethrough which communicates with the cavity in hollow coupling I6, and when rail 48 is in place the end thereof is adjacent to the inner face of the wall of coupling IE to preclude longitudinal movement in one direction. Laterally extending lugs 56 formed by ends of cross pins 58 preclude longitudinal movement of rail 48 in the opposite direction. Manifestly, rail 48 is journalled in couplingl6 for pivotal movement about its axis.

A sheet of canvas 56 is supported between. lower rails 64 and 24 of side and end members 46 and 52 respectively. This canvas 60 is drawntaut by a plurality of springs 62 which intercona nect canvas 60 and side rails. It has'been found desirable to form a tube along the marginal edges of canvas 6!! by hemming the same, with in which tubes are positioned rods 64 about which one end of each spring 62 may be hooked. The other ends of springs 62 are secured to site rails 24 and 44 as the case may be, through the medium of screw-eyes 66. When the collapsible crib isin the operative position, shown in Figs.

1 to 3 inclusive, coupling l6 and legs I4 are in engagement to prevent outward swinging of the end members. The positioning of stud 50 in perforation 52 also precludes outward movement of end members l2 from the normal vertical position.

When the crib is to be collapsed to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, springs 62 interconnecting the ends of canvas 60 and rails 25 of end members 12 are first unhooked from their normally associated screw-eyes 66,- lower rails 44 of side members 46 are drawn apart by flexing springs 62 so that the stud 50 may be withdrawn from perforation 52. Side members 46 may then be swung inwardly to a substantially.

horizontal position about the axes of upper rails 48. This movement is immediately followed by swinging end members [2 inwardly toward each other to an overlapped, substantially horizontal position about the axes of pivot pins 28. Upper rails 22 will pivot about their, axes as the end members [2 are moved to the collapsed position.

From the foregoing, it will be clear toone skilled in the art that the employment of the specially formed coupling l6 permits moving the parts of a collapsible crib to and from the opera: tive position without the employment of separate elements, such as screws, bolts, clamps or other units likely to become lost. After the crib is set up it will be rigid and self-sustaining, and

' the bundle formed when the crib is collapsed will be small and easily transportable.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a collapsible cribhaving a pair of end members provided with legs, and a pair of side members each provided with upper and lower side rails, means interconnecting the sidemembers and said end members comprising hollow couplings on the upper endsof the legs provided with a slotted lower portion;,pivot pins securing the upper ends of the legs in place within the couplings for inward swinging movement to horizontal positions into the slots of the couplings; and laterally extending lugs on the upper rails of the side members within the couplings to prevent endwise movement thereof, said upper rails being rotatable on their axesto enable the side members, of which they are a rigid part, to swing inwardly into horizontal folded positions, said couplings and the legs of said end members being in engagement to prevent outward swinging of the end members when the latter are in the vertical position.

2. In a collapsible crib having a pair of end members provided with legs, and a pair of side members each provided with upper and lower side rails, 'means interconnecting the side members and said end members comprising hollow couplings on the upper ends of the legs provided with a slotted lower portion; pivot pins securing the upper ends of the legs in place within the couplings for inward swinging movement to horizontal positions into the slots of the couplings; and laterally extending lugs on' the upper rails of the side members within the couplings to prevent endwise movement thereof, said upper rails being rotatable on their axes to enable the side members, of which they are a rigid part, to swing inwardly into horizontal folded positions, said-couplings and the legs of said end members being, in engagement to prevent outward swinging of the end members when the latter are in the vertical position, said end members each having an upper rail, the ends ofv which are pivotally journalled in the brackets for rotation about their axes, said upper rails of the end members and the said pivot pins for theupper ends of the legs being in axial alignment.

. 3..In a collapsible crib having a pair of end members provided with legs, and a pair of side members each provided with upper and lower side rails, 'means interconnecting the side members and said ,end members comprising hollow couplings on the upper ends of the legs provided with'a slotted lower portion; pivot pins securbeing'in engagement to prevent outward swing ing of the end members when the latter are in' the vertical position, said couplings at the ends or" the crib being rigidly interconnected by tiebars disposedto form parts of the end members respectively,'when the latter are in the vertical position.

4. In a collapsible crib having a pair of end members provided with legs, and a pair of side members each provided with upper and lower siderails, means interconnecting the side mem-;

bers and said end members comprising hollow couplings on the upper ends of the legs provided with a slotted lower portion; pivot pins securing the upper ends of the legs in place within the couplings for inward swinging movement to norizontal positions'into the slots of the couplings; and laterally extending lugs on the upperrails of the side members within the couplings to pre.- vent endwise movement thereof, said upper rails being rotatable on their axes to enablethe side members, of which they are a rigid part; to swing inwardly into horizontal folded positions,-vsaid couplings andrthe legs of said end members beving in engagement to prevent outward swing-ing of the end members when the latter are in the verticahposition, said couplings at the ends ;of the crib being rigidly interconnected by tie-bars l position, said end members each having a rail disposed to form partsv of the end members respectively, when the latter are in the vertical below its tie-bar, the ends of whichare pivotally journalled-in. the brackets-for rotation about their axes, saidrails and said pivot pins for the upper ends of the legs being in axial alignment.

5. In a collapsible crib having a pair of end members provided with legs, and a pair of side members each provided with upper and lower side rails, means interconnecting the side members and said end members comprising hollow couplings on the upper ends of the legs provided of the side members within the couplings to prevent endwise movement thereof, said upper rails 1 being rotatable on their axes to enable the side members, of which they are a rigid part, to swing inwardly into horizontal folded positions, said couplings and the legs of said end members being in engagement to prevent outward swinging of the end members when the latter are in the vertical position, said couplings at the ends of the crib being rigidly interconnected by tie-bars disposed to form parts of the end members respectively, when the latter are. in the vertical position, said end members each having a rail below its tie-bar, the ends of which are pivotally journalled in thebrackets for rotation about their axes), said rails and'said pivot pins for the upper ends of the-legs'being in axial alignment; said rails of the end members each having the ends thereof in sockets formed in the brackets,

said tie-bars serving to hold the brackets in spaced relation to preclude accidental removalof the rail ends from within said sockets.

Y'S'IDNEY E. PEARSON. 

